Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-21
THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR COUNTY
ROADS.
Not at ALI Satisfactory.

To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
would Ike TO express few thoughts and state
some facts regarding the management OF our
county roads. After a somewhat disagreeabe
winter and spring. we are coming to q pleasant
season. Nature outside Of the city is inviting us
TO witness and enjoy her renewed charms So we
concluded to indulge ourselves and family to the
luxury OF private carriage. Starting from the
Government Printing Office, we made our way to
l3th street east over the concerted north side of
street. But here our troubles begin. From
that point we start for Badensburg. We very
soon nnd the road In a wretched condition The
Track TWISTS ABOUT from one side OF the road to the
other TO avoid the hillOcks and mud-hoes and the
children thump their heads and their spring hats
now at the right and again at the left of the car
rage frame. After a weary ride we at length
reach Bladensburg, with the team on our hands.
ana the rejection that we must duplicate our
1at1gu1ng work. But on our return we conclude TO
Try the Brentwood road. But we made mistake
rms ROAD was worse than the other The hills
were sleeper, the gullies more dangerous and olr
destination seemed more uncertain
HASN'T BEEN REPAIRED SINCE LAFAYETTE MARCHED
OVER 1T.
In answer to questions preferred at houses and
OF persons along the way the only answer was
that 'this is the Brentwood road, and LAFAYETTE
marched his army over it on the way to or from
IOrktoWn, when CORVALLIS surrendered After
while we reached the branch road to the fair
mad been at work with the District OfficialS that
caused them TO improve the road to the BOUNDARY
w, Wnen we reached home, weary and out Of humOr
we lnwtruly resolved our next visit the suburbs
should be made under better conditions. But Why
Is II that the people OF this District are tied up OF
tied down to f W
SUCH BARBARoUs FACILITIES OF TRAVEL
Forty thousand dollars were appropriated last
year for county roads. Where did the money on
10! IL Is certain that twenty thousand OF this
sum was wasted or msappl1ed. The conduit road,
lhe .th street road and Marlboro and TenIeytOWn
ROADS are the only ones ut to drive over Perhaps
an exception might be made in favor of the Glen
WOOD ROAD as lar as Brooks Station The Brent
m m,no, tne Chain bridge, Bladensburg and Ben
Hihgs roaGS, are outrageOuSy bad The road.
masters and their superfors do not seem to under
S. ,al tneir business Incompetency is stamped
managed. can think OF nothing that would add
SO much 10 the comfort OF our people or be as
an To- for strangers as nicely
CONGRESS nave been liberal and given the Com.
MSS; me- the money We have the best Of ma
Great Fails! Nice gravel-dressed roads can be
inaoe aii over the county at between Two and
Three dollars rod as good in winter as summer.
Our present method Is to dress our carriage 1Xavs
WIN clay and call 1t gravel See Maryland avenue
wta ~ was claimed that it was repaired
was not bushel OF screened gravel on the whole
nhe; IL was almost impossible during the winter
OF cradle holes and unpleasant TO ride over Now
Wnat we ASK Is that the money given us BY Con-.
g go sna DC for the pu
GUS roaas leading from the city put in nice
order TO the District line it woui
increase the revenue OF the loo al
government oy advancing the value OF real esla tie
aiong tneir lines Property on the 7th-street road
Is worth double the amount the same distance
rom the city p0st-o1ice that It is on the Brent
wood road. What does this contemptibIe wranT
ing about the Sunday law amount to Compared
Win matters intimately connected with the Der.
sonar comfort OF the people? In New England one
thousand dollars Will secure the services OF COM
petent road superintendent who will give the pub
nc the best roads in the country. In the Dis
.rict ol columbia It takes fifteen thousand dollars
10 prevent the same results II we had good roads
instead OF resortlng to remote places Ike Garrett
fark and the like, we should settle I'D the yacanf
lands In the District Horse railroads and herJiicS
would pass every house, and easy and rapid tran
BY secured Tor all our citizens. Again we ash
Wnere are the forty thousand dOllarSf JHC